Morning journal and courier., 1887-07-19
CORRESPONDENCE.
Tho Glorious Fourth and Ehis Glorf. ous COuntry-TheY Arc Not English A Needed Sermon.

Tho Glorious Fourth and ,Ehis Glorf-
 ous Country-They Arc Not English
 A Needed Sermon.
 July 4, 1887.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Inow know by personal experience that it is possible for an American-and not an es- pecially disagreeable American either-to stop three days in a large hotel filled with English, all apparently knowing one another and enjoying one another's society, and not have blessed one of them say a word to him; but on the contrary have them one and all shun him, get away and look away from him, and do everything in their power to
 make him understand that he is an intrusion and nuisance. And these are the people whom our representative in England begs to call us "not cousins, but brothers" What great blessing that now and then Fourth of July comes around, on which it is not only the privilege, but the duty, of every American to get down on his knees, confess his shortcomings as patriot, and then thank the Lord with loud rejoicings that he is not an Englishman. On the Fourth of July, 1776, we declared our independence; not of the world at large; certainly not of any of the obligations which bind all man. kind together in a common family; but of England and everything English. We then stated emphatically our intention of becom- ing distinct race and of building up new and independent order of things. We had had enough of England, of English govern ment and of English men and women. The essence of the Fourth must not be forgotten. It is the day to recall and to place wildly be- fore us those English traits and peculiarities which made it impossible for this country to remain English any longer. We believe that all men are born free and equal. The Eng lish don't. We believe that all should have an equal opportunity of pursuing happiness. They don't. We believe in placing no limits to the power developed by virtue, industry, learning and skill, nor to the reach of lauda-
 ble ambition. They do not. They would keep classes apart and restrictions strict. If man be born cobbler let him cobble all his life long and regard it as the acme of bliss if he be appointed, for instance, by roy al letters, cobbler to his highness Prince Bat tenberg. If a man be born duke he has something of which all the activities and energies of civilization cannot produce the counterpart, and which entities him to be bowed down to and semi-worshipped all his life long. An Englishman feels it to be his duty to kotow to his social superior. To keep up some kind of equipoise he must be very unpleasant to his social inferior. And so he is except when there Is money in it. Then he will be as obsequious to the cobbler as to the duke. All these things must be kept in mind and the Fourth of July is the great day set aside in our calendar for the purpose. Let experience be renewed and re- vised. No one who has travelled has failed to meet English men and women who were IL 1, ever given an Englishman an opportunity of being impolite to him that the Britisher did not improve to the uttermost An English man gnilty of disinterested act of kindness or politeness is as rare as a hen with teeth was rare before the introduction of Marsh. know the race well. l have seen it at I home and abroad. I have seen it doing it's best to be agreeable and I have seen the per- feet ease with which it becomes most disa- . greeable. Years ago in the innoceney of a youthful heart I supposed an Englishman to be human being and acted accordingly. Now that by experience know him to be 8 brute also act accordingly. He will take everything you will give him in New York and ignore you completely in London. He will behave in your clubs and houses as he would not dare to behave at home. If you meet him on the continent in distress or perplexity and help him he considers that the honor you have enjoyed is the only obli-
 
 ahead into hotel or conveyance, secure every best thing for himself and then scowl at you as an intruder. He will marry your daugh- ters if they have large moneys in esse or posse and then make them wish they had never been born. How any American with self-respect and without money enough to buy up the whole island can accept the posi- tion of minister to England and keep it is to me mystery.
 And as is the individual Englishman so is the English government In this jubilee year there has been an immense deal of talk about the kind feeling of England towards America, especially during our civil war, when every Englishman was saying to his neighbor, ''I told you so. There goes re- publicanism all to smash" and both he and his neighbor were gleefully awaiting the final consummation when, North and South completely exhausted, Canada would walk over and attach the whole country. Can there be an idiot to suppose that the true at titude of England during our civil war is not perfectly understood to even the most superficial student of historya If we ignore it is not because we are ignorant, but be- cause we are sufficiently magnanimous not to allude. But we don't forget; and we don't intend to forget. Let the memory of it be revived this jubilee year as an offset against the 1imitless swash of unbearable bosh which is being poured forth on both sides of the Atlantic, and which makes righteous soul boil with indignation and shame. That edi- tors can write and speakers speak such things is intolerable. The best things do not come from England. More life, energy and spirit reaches the country by year of Irish emi- grafton than comes from England in half 8 century. The best additions to national progress are now from Germany. Germany teaches us to sing and to drink wholesome
 beer, while France and Italy are helping to make civilization polite and flexible. What one thing is England doing for the United States to-day which the United States could
 not do better for herself if England were away? It is startling question. But fol- low it along; take it up in detail and answer it. Not that want the "tight little island" sunk or wish any great evil to happen to it's inhabitants; but until we give up all non sense and talk plain American and English to one another there will be no comfortable, satisfactory or valuable communication be- tween the two nations or between any of the component individuals.
 l The true Britisher is in some respects ana ! under some circumstances most admirable. The way in which an English swell can step | all over an English tradesman without one atom of excitation is superb. And therein l is lesson. The English tradesman knows | that he is a worm. If by any considera' ton you lose sight af his woIminess and act towards him humanely he ceases to be
 worm and becomes viper. He will rise up on his tail and sting and vent on you | all the stored up measures of his vulgar l wrath. The Britisher is sublime in guar